We Hear You! Letters from Our June 2012 Issue

I subscribe to MORE and enjoy the articles, but I have one complaint. I find the print to be very small and difficult to read. I don’t know the age of your average reader, but I am in my sixties and cannot read some of your articles (even with my reading glasses). I know that after the age of 40 most women are using glasses for close reading, and I’m guessing that I’m not the only one having this problem. Maybe I’m the only one to bring it to your attention. So thanks for listening.

Keep up the good work . . . the articles are useful and relevant (love the humor also).
--Sue Bratton, Canton, Ohio

I very much enjoyed your latest article regarding the landmark legislation Title IX. My daughter benefited greatly from this legislation not only in her athletic career as a Division I athlete but also in the educational opportunities that were open to her because of its passage. I made sure that she was aware of how Title IX gave her a broader world of opportunities. I wanted her to know much different her life would be if she lived the world of narrow opportunities that was mine as a girl before this revolutionary legislation.

One of Title IX's lesser-known elements is the equal access to educational programs for either sex. Enrollment in shop classes, mechanical drawing, ROTC and home economics is no longer segregated by gender. Equal access is also extended to the pregnant teen. Gone are the days when a pregnant teen was forced to drop out of school. Title IX requires access to educational programs for even those students who now have the added responsibility of a child. These young women now have the chance to earn their high school diplomas and be on a more equal footing in the job market and as an educated parent.

Today's young women often do not know the struggles that went before them to achieve equal access and therefore do not know that powerful forces are eager to eliminate the oversight that has kept Title IX alive. Our previous president attempted to eliminate or eviscerate Title IX. We are only beginning to see the fruits of Title IX and must continue to be vigilant or risk losing one of our most empowering pieces of legislation for gender equity.
--Mary Jander Roberts

The article “Lethal Weapon” highlights a very real problem that is not getting enough attention. About three years ago, my brother-in-law had rotator cuff surgery. He became addicted to oxycodone, receiving multiple 30-day prescriptions from three different doctors. He struggled with the addiction and went through detox. We thought he was clean, but he relapsed this year and went through another detox program around Easter. He died suddenly eight days ago from a massive heart attack. He was 48. Among some family members, it is thought that the damage to his heart was caused by the prescription drugs and drugs used for detox, which I believe was methadone. He leaves behind a wife and two children, along with his own parents. Our lives are forever changed due to the decisions that his doctors made.
--Laura Cosgriff, Cleveland

LOVE the "Meet the MORE staff" page! What a great gratitude and desire/goals listing, lovely eclectic mix of folks! Also, really enjoy content, marketing and mantra for women of "style and substance" as the theme so resonates to the empowered woman. I've also enjoyed participating in this year's MORE Beauty Search 2012 contest; it's been such fun! All the best to every participant and much gratitude to the staff for the time and effort in choosing winners. Looking forward to outcome, announcement and continued best of MORE!
--Heather Watkins

I was very disappointed in your article “Return of the Gender Card” and feel that it betrays the true issue. The issue is not a woman’s right to birth control but who is paying for it. This was never mentioned in the article by Christina Bellantoni and indicates to me that she and your readers have been seriously misled. If I agree that a woman has the right to decide for herself if she will take birth control or have an abortion, that’s one thing, but if as a woman I don’t believe in one or both, why should I be forced to pay for it for someone else? Isn’t it my right not to?
--Linda Pelliccioni

Share Your Thoughts!

Comments

I have been a MORE subscriber for many years, and like many others have mentioned, the magazine seems to be targeting much younger women than it used to. I have too much sense of my own style to actually care which celebs are wearing what, because it is "in" this season. In your fashion spreads, I would love to see clothing selections which are affordable to most of us.
The article about the skin doctors was good, and timely as many women in the 45-60ish age are interested in, and using some of these techniques to keep ourselves looking good.

Hello Dearest More Staff,
First off, I want to praise the magazine for catering to the "older" American population. I love reading the articles and suggestions throughout its pages. So, I thought I'd write a comment to ask something special of you: we constantly see celebrities on magazine covers down to "celebrities" that are barely Seniors in high school, i.e. Dakota Fanning. Today, I watched the video of Karen the Bus Monitor getting her self-esteem absolutely obliterated by kids who gave zero thought to their actions. In this society, we've graduated to a point where youth takes precedence in every corner: beauty, fashion, employment, advertising, etc. Why, oh why, can't we honor what is considered "old"? I am only 41, still wear platforms, premium designers, luxurious handbags, yet, in certain magazines I see all these products demonstrated on women who are half as young as I. It's crazy to see Botox (which I don't use) being advertised on a 20yr old with full makeup - is she really the one using it, no less injecting while wearing red lipstick?? Here's my point: what are your thoughts on putting Karen on the cover? That to me is the epitome of beautiful: a woman who has gone through many challenges, but still gave back to the younger generation, who in turn slaughtered her beautiful being. I have no connection to Karen, other than I am sitting her teary-eyed wondering why young kids viewed her as such a vunerable target...could it be it's time we elevate people like Karen above the flash-in-the-pan younguns like Dakota? Please respond.

More is a magazine for women over 40, so why is cover girl Madeleine Stowe made to look 34? And no, it is not just good lighting and makeup.
She is 53!
Last time I saw such a distorted picture was of Sharon Stone.
As a fan of the TV show Revenge, I know for a fact that Madeleine does not look anything like this this in real life. Her nose is longer and droops a little, her eyes show her age, her jawline suggest 50+.
Madeleine Stowe is actually more beautiful than in this picture, where she appears to be wearing a mask.

To Go Short Or Not to Go Short, The Lure of Long pg. 81
This has been an endless battle between my mother and I. When I was eight years old she ordered a Dorothy Hamill cut for me. Just imagine a heavy girl who played a lot of soccer and had bad teeth with a bowl cut on her head! Yikes! I was constantly mistaken for a boy! I never let her cut my hair again. But my mother had a way of letting me know her disaproval by comparing me to my sister. She would say things like, "Oh isn't your sister's hair so cute in that bob!" It took me awhile to realize that my mom comes from a different era. When she cut her hair it meant that she was grown up. I've learned to accept her little jabs without giving into them. This year however, I cut my hair and donated it to cancer patients. I don't regret the donation, but I miss my hair. At age 42 I'm growing it out again and hoping to have it as long as possible for now and hopefully for as long as I live. Thanks for the article Pamela!

Fighting Frizz page 78 of June 2012
The only way I have been able to have soft, silky, curly, less frizzy hair is to comb a heavy duty conditioner into just washed wet hair, leave it in and air dry. I never use a comb or brush once it is drying or when it is dry.

I agree that there is more emphasis on beauty products and expensive clothes than suits my taste, and I was recently disappointed that in the article on skin care from 5 dermatologists every one of them recommended some form of artificial treatment to "erase" aging. Not one had suggestions for those of us who are not so naive as to believe one can "halt" aging or even desire to do so or who eschew the idea of injecting fat or botulism poison into our faces. However, we have to take the bad with the good, such as the book reviews, the wonderful article by Anna Quindlen in May's issue ("Aging Gratefully") and the "Fierce List" of impressive women (all ages and shapes). Just do what I do: skip all the ridiculous crap (and, I agree, there's not a chance in hell I would even consider spending over $1,000, or $300, or $200, or $100, on a tote bag) and search for the worthwhile bits; it's like a little game! Then recycle.

I have come to realize that More is now more style than substance. It also used to be a larger publication with more in depth articles. In May it was 160 pages, June is 104. And, years ago it was twice as big. What is happening? Why is there not more information for the +50 group? Everyday your publications addresses the 30-40 group to a larger extent.
Donna Jackson.

In response to the Lure of Long section of the Summer Hair Guide for Grown Ups, I'm all about longer hair at cough-cough, age of 47 after wearing my hair Audrey Hepburn and Mia Farrow short for most of my adult life. Yes, from college onward, I've worn my brown hair super short. Here and there, it's been longer tban my earlobes. Most recently, I experimented with the bob, first as worn by actress Katie Holmes then magazine editor Anna Wintour. Then just eight months ago, I decided to do something really daring, on the level of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro or moving to Tokyo, Japan and not knowing a soul. I decided to get hair extensions. Not the ordinary, salon-around-the-corner variety. No, I hired Mahri Martens Tomas, otherwise known as the Ferrari of hair-augmentation. That was October, now it's the end of May and I have nearly an ounce more of natural human hair on my head that seamlessly matches my own locks. I'm convinced the newfound volume makes me look at least 10 years younger. So forget nose and eye jobs, I'm all about hair!

I love your magazine, especially the articles. I'm 67,live in rural Maine & I'm short, so the fashions are not practical & they're expensive. You stop giving recommendations for women over 60. What will I do in 3 years? I feel that AARP magazine is the only publication that speaks to my concerns, but I still enjoy reading More.

FYI not all the women who buy your magazine are liberal Democrats! I was attracted to the current issue because I wanted to read about swimsuits for all ages and sizes and learn about walking to lose weight. The article featuring the ultra-liberal Andrea Mitchell pontificating on the cuts in funding to Planned Parenthood suggests that anyone who doesn't see it her (your) way doesn't like women and wants them to take several steps backward regarding equality. I for one am a well-educated professional who is also profoundly pro-life. I don't want my tax dollars going to the number-one abortion provider in the world, period! Please consider once in awhile presenting views by intelligent, well-informed conservative women rather than just those by your liberal cohorts!

Re:
Andrea Mitchell's article, loved it!
As for the whole birth control/Catholic Church controversy? My brother works for a Catholic university and told us he had no problem at all having Viagra covered for a co-pay (and I have heard of others) while teachers for the Arch-Diocese (Boston) pay $50.
Hey, I grew up Catholic, I loved being Catholic, attending Catholic school, I loved the rituals, the Sacraments, and my children have all made theirs. But it's really too bad that all of these old Bishops and Cardinals didn't get so upset (or upset AT ALL) over rapes and molestations of children.
Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston was rewarded for moving rapists from parish to parish to victimize more children
with a Basilica in Rome. And now he is leading the charge on American Nuns. No shame.
But of course birth control is something to get crazy over. I have left the Cchurch of my youth because it left all of us.

In response to the Lethal Weapon article. I would like to respond to the quote of doctors and pharmacists "ought to be punished like any other drug dealer"---Well apparently Ms. Brennan has not worked in an ER where if you don't treat patient's "pain" then you are being neglectful to the patient and therefore setting yourself up for a lawsuit from the first lawyer who will sue. Doctors hands are tied in most cases---as a nurse in an ER, I often feel like I am supporting a lot of people's "habits" our money comes from the gov't which is based on pt satisfaction scores and doctors are fearful of being sued. If someone comes in complaining of pain --it's their pain and we are told to treat it as though it's real. People "Doctor shop". A lot of pharmacies are keeping track of narcotic refills ect...but to just say that all doctors and pharmacists should be treated as drug dealers is wrong. Maybe she should job shadow in an ER and see what it's really like. We are kicked, bit, spit on and verbally abused when "a seeker" dosen't get what they want. Then we get to sit and wonder which lawyer is going to come after us because "they didn't treat my pain and how can they prove I wasn't having any"